Blog

I have a brand new life! I am a proper mother again. I have plenty of good friends. I run, I play rugby, I love reading,  I just enjoy my life. I now facilitate the MOIMR group in which I started. I have my job as a carer back, and I would love to become a Mental Health Nurse. That is my aspiration for the future.

I'm happy if I've showed up for people, supported people, and done half the things I set out to do each day. Some people describe the Fellowship as a cult that brainwashes people. I have realised that my brain needed washing of all its bad habits. I now have people who rely on me. I have consistent relationships with friends and family.

Number 10 are the Penrhyn babies. Our NWRC family is growing. People who met at NWRC and pursued their Recovery journeys together have now had children! They are the future. They are feeling the benefit of all the learning that their parents have done the hard way.

The second I walked through the front door I felt genuine love. I think of the place as a shining light in the darkness of my life at that time. I was the first woman to live at Penrhyn and I stayed a year. I like to think of it as my small contribution paving the way for the women who have lived there since.

Bruce also points out that if we want to provide therapeutic, healing interactions, they must be moderate, controllable and predictable interactions. 'Healing takes place when there are dozens of therapeutic interactions available each day for the person to control...'

NWRC is a game changer. Treatment services and other places just did not work for me! NWRC has a range of programmes and I had to do everything for the first three months. My head was flooded with new connections and various modes of recovery. I engaged in the outside...

I started working with a dietician who never focused on my actual eating behaviour. They empowered me to explore my thoughts, feelings and emotions, and eventually change my mindset. I realised that I didn’t need my maladaptive tools. Our sessions had a massive...

'I feel so connected now, something that I have never felt before. These are true friends who don't want anything from me. They are not trying to manipulate me. I have my grandchildren and I want to be the best Nanna in the world. I've got the help that I needed and I have a better understanding of myself.' Nicola

I had made it out of my addiction bubble into a bigger bubble full of other people. Penrhyn offered freedom to be myself without being judged or questioned. It also gave my kids support and hope. They learnt about addiction and recovery. They knew that I was safe at Penrhyn, and they knew I was getting better.

Participants began to feel safe to share experiences and described that hearing similar experiences from others in the group was extremely normalising and de-stigmatising. This supported an ongoing sense of connection and identification with members of the group and led to...

On the mountains, all his senses seemed to open up. He was on a spiritual journey with the 12-Steps, but now he started another such journey. In January 2024, Rob launched Sober Snowdonia, a walking group to help people recovering from addiction and other problems.

James Deakin has organised an ‘Evening with David Clark’ on Friday evening at Bwyd Da Bangor. Tasty canapés are provided prior to my first talk, which is focused on addiction recovery and My Journey From Brain Chemicals to Human Connection, to an audience of around 30...

NWRC gave me the freedom to look to the future in a secure environment while also assisting me in self-discovery, self-improvement, and acceptance of my past. I was given the opportunity to make mistakes, which helped me learn responsibility and accountability, and gave me a chance to discover and maintain my...

Bwyd Da developed a strong reputation for serving tasty, healthy and affordable meals. It acted as a platform for marginalised groups, hosting weekly mutual aid (AA, NA, CA) and dementia group meetings, informal gatherings for those with a gambling problem, and an adult autism club. Periodic music evenings took place, as well as...

Recovery is a wonderful way of living. It has presented challenges and moments requiring difficult decisions, but I am as grateful for these experiences as I am for the successes. I firmly believe that recovery success comes through perpetual growth in the right direction—a commitment I strive to uphold daily.